


gradual

by Suicix



Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Coming Out, Demisexuality, Friendship, Gen, Queer Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-13 04:07:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4507134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suicix/pseuds/Suicix
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seth and Dean wonder why Roman doesn't bring people back to the hotel more often, because according to them, he totally could if he wanted. But Roman doesn't want to, and he explains to them why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	gradual

**Author's Note:**

> disclaimer that i am not actually demisexual/ace spectrum (just aro spectrum although for me personally romantic attraction is pretty far removed from sexuality so idk why i'm even bringing it up), so i am just going by what i read about demisexuality on the internet etc, though i assure you the sources i've used are ones i guess would be considered reliable.

Dean’s after somebody he can take back to the hotel. Or maybe he’ll go back with them, he says. Maybe he won’t even make it that far; he isn’t picky. Seth isn’t really looking for anyone, not tonight. Roman... Roman never is. Not for sex, at least. If they were near home, he might see if he could find someone he could see on a more regular basis, but they’re on the road and there’s no point trying to go at a long distance relationship if he doesn’t even live near his partner considering he’s always moving around.

The three of them order some drinks and find a table in the bar; Dean’s off and away almost as soon as he seems to spot someone he likes the look of. Roman doesn’t know how Dean can spot somebody that quickly, but then again, he doesn’t really get why someone would do it in the first place. It’s not for him. If he feels like it, then perhaps, but he rarely does. Plus he’d rather get to know someone first, and a couple of hours in a bar doesn’t exactly allow for that.

He’s never actually told anyone that, though. Or, he’s never mentioned it to Dean and Seth. While he thinks they’d be able to understand the general concept even if they didn’t understand _how_ someone could feel the way Roman does, he’s always trying to shrug it off with a laugh if they mention casual sex to him, like they usually seem to do when they go to bars.

Like now, perhaps.

“Why don’t you try to get someone to take back to the hotel sometime, huh?” Seth asks. “Dean’s always doin’ it. Attempting, that is. I don’t know how often he actually gets someone. If it was a contest he probably gets the most, but that’s because he actually tries the most. I... might be running a little higher on actual success rate. Maybe. You’d probably be winning if you tried, though. The chicks are all over you, man. The _men_ are probably all over you, too.”

Roman smiles, glancing down at his glass. “Yeah, I bet.”

“No, really. You could walk up to like – anyone in this bar, just flash ‘em a smile like that one right there, and they’d be ready to go straight away.”

Roman sighs. He’s been meaning to explain it to Seth and Dean for a while, but he hasn’t really had the chance to. Now is a good a time as ever, he guesses; he can tell Dean later.

“It’s not that simple for me. I can’t just find some random in a bar and be into them enough that I wanna take them home. It’s just. That doesn’t happen to me, y’know? I don’t feel that way about people. Not immediately, at least. I’d have to have got to know someone for a long time to be able to do all that with them. It’s definitely not a moral thing, it’s more like. I don’t feel that kind of attraction to anyone for a while.”

Seth nods slowly. “So you’re. Asexual? I guess. I mean, that’s the word I know.”

“Kind of. The word demisexual is more what I identify with. It’s on the same sorta spectrum, though. You ever heard of it?”

“Don’t think so. So that’s like – you only wanna have sex with someone after you’ve got like, some kinda emotional connection with them or something?”

“Not quite. Anyone who identifies anywhere on the ace spectrum can _want_ to have sex with someone. It’s more a matter of actual attraction.”

“All right. I’ll look it up, yeah?”

“Yeah. Means a lot that you’d do that.” Roman smiles and takes a drink from his glass. “You think Dean’s got lucky, or what? He’s taking a while.”

“Oh, I dunno. He’d come by and tell us if he’s leaving, though, so I’m not – hey, speak of the devil and he appears.” Seth nods and Roman turns his head to look behind him. There’s Dean, coming back towards the table. “You coming back with us, Ambrose, or you got someone?”

Dean scowls ever so slightly and slumps down in the seat next to Roman. “Nah, I’ll. I’ll be coming back with you guys.”

Roman gives Dean a pat on the shoulder and a sarcastic “Good going, man.”

“Would say you’d be the same but. It’s you, y’know. You wouldn’t be the same. Dunno why you don’t bother, Rome. You could get anyone. A-ny-one.” He repeats his last word, pronouncing every syllable as if to emphasise his point.

“Just what I said,” Seth cuts in. It’s OK, though. Roman shouldn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to.”

“You don’t want to?” Dean frowns. “Why don’t you want to?”

“I’m demisexual,” Roman says. He feels a lot calmer telling Dean about it now he’s explained it to Seth. “I just explained it to Seth while you were away. It means I don’t feel attracted to people sexually until I’ve got a strong emotional bond with them. It’s... it’s gradual, see? Kinda a subset of asexual. Y’know – people who don’t feel any sexual attraction at all.”

“Yeah, I figured. Only heard that word in relation to plants before this, but I think I get it.”

“You should look it up,” says Seth. “I think it’s important that we understand as much as we can.”

“Cool. I’ll do it,” Dean says, and when he looks to Roman with a nod and a smile, Roman knows it’s a promise.

 

 

“You got emotional bonds with us, right?” Dean asks as they make their way back to the hotel later.

“Sure,” Roman replies. “But if you think that means I’m gonna have sex with you. No.”

“Shame. You’d be on my list for sure. And Seth’s.”

“Hey, man, don’t make him feel uncomfortable,” Seth says, sounding a little flustered, and he nudges Dean in the ribs.

“It’s OK,” Roman tells him, because it is OK. They accept it and they’re trying to make sure they understand as much as they can, and that’s all that he can ask for.


End file.
